Run Around the Tent

It’s almost the end of You Me at Six’s set, and they’re finishing up with ‘Bite My Tongue’. I don’t know why I’m hanging around still, the others left ages ago. Maybe it’s because I miss Josh. No, it is because I miss Josh. It’s been a month since our relationship ended, and not on good terms either. I made a terrible mistake. I’d gone out drinking with Matt and we got kind of pissed. Well kind of is an understatement, I couldn’t walk straight for fucks sake. I kind of kissed a girl and...yeah you can kind of guess how that turned out. I did tell Josh though, I told him straight away. I hoped that he would understand. I thought that if I were honest things wouldn’t be so bad. He wasn’t happy. More than that, he was fucking pissed. He walked out, and we never spoke again. I tried calling him, but he never answered. Five years we were together, and one night on the piss and one stupid mistake ruined it all. I still cry at the memory of what happened. I miss all the good times we had.

I bet you’re wondering, how has Josh not noticed the stupid twat with long hair and is completely covered in tattoos? Well, this isn’t a very small crowd. It’s not huge, but there are quite a few people. Then there’s also the fact that I’m wearing a hooded jumper with the hood up. I’m absolutely boiling, but at least Josh won’t see me. Josh has finished singing the second verse of the song, so I take it that he’s going to scream my part himself or just skip it completely. The riff is repeated over and over again, and Josh isn’t screaming or singing. He hasn’t noticed me, has he? Please say he hasn’t.

“I wanna see...a circle running around that Monster energy tent.” He says, pointing at the tent right behind me. I’m right in his line of sight, but he doesn’t notice me. “RIGHT. FUCKING. NOW.” He shouts, almost growling.

Nothing happens, no one runs around the tent. A couple of people start fighting over to my right. I notice Max running across the stage. He jumps down and runs over to the tent. He sees me, how he recognises me I don’t know. He nods, then starts running around the tent.

“Ooh.” Josh says, a hand on his hip. You can’t get much sassier. “Is anybody gonna follow Max and run round the tent or are you gonna keep punching people?” He points at the tent and moves his hand in a circle. “Run round the fucking tent, you imbeciles.”

He points at the tent again. “That tent!” Then he runs around in a small circle. “Run round it. That’s all I’ve asked you to do, not to beat the shit out of each other.”

I look at Josh, then the tent. I close my eyes and take a deep breath, before running to the tent and running around it, following Max. I can feel my hood slipping off, so I put a hand on the top of my head to keep it there. Max and I are still the only people running around the tent.

“I see someone has joined Max. Max, who’s joined you?” Josh says.

“Oli!” Max shouts.

“Good on ya Oli!” Josh says, he doesn’t realise it’s me.

I look at Max, still trying to keep my hood on my head. He signals to me with one hand to take the hood off. After a moment of consideration, I nod and take my hand off of my head. The hood slips off. My chin length hair trails behind me as I continue running. I think I hear Josh gasp slightly. I look up at the stage and see him standing there with a shocked look on his face. I stop running for a moment.

“RUN AROUND THE MOTHER FUCKING TENT YOU PRICKS!” I scream at the top of my lungs.

Nothing happens. Then one person joins. Then two. Then five. Then nine. Soon there is a swarm of people running around the tent. Max moves out of the circle, taking a hold of my arm and taking me with him.

“Come onto the stage with us.” He says.

“What about Josh though?” I ask.

“He’s missed you as well you know.”

“OK.” I sigh.

I follow Max up onto the stage. I freeze at the edge of the stage, scared to walk any further. Josh was just looking at me. Max pushed me forward, before joining Matt, Chris and Dan in the riff that they were still repeating. I stumbled forward, almost falling over. Once I regained my balance, I glared at Max who just smirked. Then I looked back at Josh. He was holding out a second microphone, a small smile on his face. I smile sheepishly back. I look at Max, who’s nodding at me. So are Matt and Chris, and they are all smiling. Dan smiles at me as well. I look at the crowd, and some of them look completely confused. I pull my hooded jumper off over my head and throw it to the side of the stage. I take the microphone from Josh and start screaming. After the first line Josh joins in, looking at me as if he’s screaming the words at me.

“Just forget what you've learned
Just forget what you've heard
The truth just confirmed
I can't bare the sight of you anymore
You've become what I hate
Sold yourself for a bit of fame
Now the wolves have closed the doors
Wanna drag me down for more
Fuck you!
Fuck you!”

I stopped screaming as Josh sang the chorus. I jumped around the stage slightly.

“You keep me on the edge of my seat
I bite my tongue so you don't hear me
I wanna hate every part of you in me
I can't hate the ones who made me.”

On the repeat of the chorus I joined in, and Josh stopped singing for a moment. I faced him as I screamed, it made me feel like I was saying the words to him.

“You keep me on the edge of my seat
I bite my tongue so you don't hear me.”

“I wanna hate every part of you in me.” Josh sang.

“I can’t hate the ones who made me.” Both of us said, me screaming and him singing.

The song ended and the sound of drums, guitars and bass ceased. The crowd applauded and cheered, and by now the circle running around the tent had stopped. Josh said a quick thank you on behalf of the band and me. We walked off of the stage and I went to walk away, before I heard Josh say my name. I stopped and turned around to face him. He beckoned for me to follow him, but I just stood there. I shouldn’t even be here, I shouldn’t be bothering him. He let out a frustrated sigh, then he grabbed my arm and pulled me with him as he walked. He stopped when we reached the corner of backstage where nobody could see us. He let go of my arm and turned so he no longer had his back to me.

“Josh, I’m so, so, so, so, so sorry. I shouldn’t even be here bothering you because you made it quite obvious you never wanted to talk to me again. I’m so sorry, I’ll just go and –“ Josh interrupted me by wrapping his arms around me and hugging me tightly.

“I missed you.” He said. “I missed you so much.

I could feel him shaking, was he crying? I pulled back a bit to see that his eyes were red and tears were falling from them.

“I’m so sorry, it’s all my fault. If I hadn’t made that stupid fucking mista –“

I was silenced by Josh’s lips on mine. At first just stood there with wide eyes, surprised and shocked by Josh’s sudden actions. I get over this initial shock though, and I kiss him back. I wrap my arms around him and hug him tightly, pulling him closer as I kiss him. After a minute or so we pull away at the same time, both of us breathless. I rest my forehead against his, staring into his sky blue eyes. How I’ve missed looking into these sparkling eyes, waking up in the morning to be greeted by them a sleepy, but smiling Josh with a bad case of bed head, his chestnut hair sticking up in all different directions.

“Has that shut you up you bastard?” He laughed.

“For now.” I say with a smile.

“I was such a bitch. I’ve thought about it, what happened. You were honest, so I forgive you.”

“Really?”

“I could never stay mad at you Oli.”

“I love you Joshy.” I say.

“I love you too Oli.” He replies, smiling.

I grin and kiss him again. I have my Josh back.

I don’t have to miss him anymore.